The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-01-22

in the story that the Indian was relating. The
tale that he was telling by indrection was of
the murder OF an old man who was looking for
cattle, and the person who gave heed TO his
words was Ezra Sherman, whose father had
been murdered. The details Of Silverheol's
story correspondent with the circumstances at
tending the elder Shermun's death. and the son,
us he heard the brutal Indian describe the event
step by step, grew wild with rage because ho
was convinced that he was listen
was q just man, and refrained from hasty vio-
lence. However, he determined to find out
whether the Indian was guilty, and he listened
and encouraged him to talk. The Indian finally
said that the old man whom he killed was
gathering May-apples, and he remarked upon
the peculiar formation Of his victims head,
which had double crown. and had enabled the
slayer to get an unusually large scalp, and in
finishing his story he said that the rifle Of the
murdered man had been placed in the trunk Of o
hollow tree near the scene Of tho tragedy
Young Sherman at once went to the spot where
his father had fallen, and after short search
found his parents rifle in the hollow Of q tree
near by, where 1t had been placed four years
before by the assassin.
The finding of tho gun Us the sequel to the In
dams tale convinced young Sherman that he
had discovered the murderer Of his father, and
he was called upon to avenge 1t.
Two days later party of hunters who were
returning to their homes in the evening saw the
body of man ut the edge Of forest, lying half
in the soft shadow and half in the ghostly moon
light. 1t was Slverheels, with rifle bullet
through his heart.
Indians were not the only source Of danger to
the pioneers. They had to contend with floods,
and with "a well nigh fatal scarcity Of food at
times, and ut other times smallpox made the
dreadful rayages among them that 1t SO often
does in new country.
The famine of 1870 nearly destroyed the set
T raHA A~HAI, ,,tx,,a
year when they got their corn planted, and
cold weather came very early, so that the grain
was frozen before it had had an opportunity to
ripen, but 1t was gathered and put away, for II
was supposed that when it was well dried
| it would he good to eat Experience proved
| that 1t was wholly unfit for consumption by
| either man or beast, as every one who pnrtook
| of meal made from 1t became violently Ill ut
| once. So corn rose in price from fifty cents to
| two dollars u bushcl, and could scarcely be had
| mt all. The settlers were In desperate circum-
| stances. There was dearth of game ut the
| same time. The river furnished small guam
tity OF fish, so by that means the poorer families
| We're saved from absolute starvation. Many ex-
| pedents were resorted to. Nettle tops and tho
| tender shoots Of the pigeonberry were boiled
with little salt and meal, and eaten by many
| persons. Potato tops were eaten in the same
| way, and so the season of want and distress was
| bravely met and overcome by these gallant old
| soldiers of the revolution and their families.
| After the famine came the Indian wars, OF
| which we have spoken. and after the Indian
wars came great floods and in 1879 another war
| with Great Britain. No body OF men and women
| had ever to encounter greater hardships and
| dangers In their efforts to plant a new State or
colony thnn did our forefathers who founded
| Ohio
The biographies OF the distinguished men who
| came to Ohio prior to the beginning of this Gen.
tury, would I'LL large and closely printed vol
4 ~